Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 679,726. PatentedAug. 6, [90L M. D. COMPTON.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(App1icn.tion filed Jan. 10, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEICE.

MELVIN D. COMPTON, OF EAST ORANGE, NE\V JERSEY.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,726, dated August6, 1901.

Application filed January 10,1901. Serial No. 42,706. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it flea/y concern..-

Be it known that I, MELVIN D. COMPTON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGas-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gas-generators of the class employed in thegeneration of acetylene. It relates especially to that kind ofgenerators in which the carbid is contained in a series of removablecarbid-receptacles that are each in turn automatically supplied with thedecomposing liquid.

In the drawings, Figure l is a View in elevation of the gasometer andgenerator with their connections, the generator being shown in verticalsection. Fig. 2 is a top view of the generator with the cover removed.

In the drawings, A is the gasometer B, the generator; 0, the removablecarbid-receptacles contained in the vertical cylinders D.

E is the water-supply pipe; F, the gas-pipe leading from the generatorto the gasometer.

H is a swinging lever which serves both to hold down the cover J of thegenerator B and to control the water-supply valve 1 and the threewayValve 1, which regulates the gasdelivery F and the vent-pipe E.

K is the generator drain-pipe.

g is a rod fastened to the side of the gasometer A, serving as a guidefor the rod a, attached to the top of the gasometer-bell A. Thisrod a,carries at predetermined points two projections b b, the former of whichoperates to open at the proper time the watersupply pipe E, and thelatter through the rock-lever c, the pawl d, and the ratchetwheel econtrols the revolution of the vessel 40 f, (furnished with a spout,)which delivers the liquid to the cylinders containing the removablecarbid-receptacles. b in its ascent shuts off the water-supply pipe. Thecontaining-cylinders D are not entirely circular, but have an ofiset atone side, as shown in Fig. 2, in order to let the liquid come from thebottom of the cylinder into contact with the carbid in receptacles G. Onthe top of the cylinders D is a dish h, divided into as many verticalcompartments as there are cylinders D. In the bottom of the dish h is ahole perforated in each compartment, and these holes the water isdelivered on the top of the carbid it very soon reduces the upperportion of the same to a pasty condition, preventing a free escape ofthe gas. For this reason I deliver the water at the bottom of the carbidmass.

I have purposely made the vessel fsmall and light and the mechanismconnected with the revolution thereof light and easy moving, since ifthe revoluble parts were heavy, as in existing machines, when the gasgot low and had little pressure if the gasometer were obliged in itsdescent to operate heavy acting machinery the pressure would be stillfurther reduced and the requirements of the fire-underwriters in thatrespect violated. Hence my endeavor at easy-working devices.

The operation isas follows: Assuming the carbid-receptacles to have beencharged and put in place, the cover J of the generator is put inposition and the locking-lever H is swung around and caught. Theoperation of swinging around the lever H works the twoway water-valve 1,opening the water-pipe E,

at the same time opening a passage for the gas through the pipe F andclosing the ventpipe E by means of the three-way valve I. When the waterreaches the carbid, flowing first into the vessel f, thence through thespout k to the vertical divided dish 71., gas begins to be generated andpasses by the pipe F to the gasometer A. The bell A begins to rise,carrying with it the rod a, provided with the projections 19 and b. b inits descent has let on the water by means of the spring-controlled valve1;. As A ascends, carrying with it the projection 11, this projection 6contacts with the upper arm of rock-lever c and brings the pawl 01 intoposition to engage the toothed wheel e and move it when projection 19descends, when it operates pawl d and ratchet e to revolve rod Land withit the spouted ves sel f, bringing the spout over a new compartment ofthe divided dish h, which new compartment is over a freshcarbid-receptacle cylinder. Meanwhile in its ascent the projection 19'has operated to close the valve 1), shutting off the liquid from thepipe E.

Gas continues to generate until bell A descends,'when the cycle ofoperations is repeated.

An advantage of my method of revolving the vessel f over that ofrevolving the watersupply pipe is that in the latter arrangement theswivel-joints which must carry the water become clogged with sediment orstick from other causes, thereby impairing the working of the apparatus.My dish h always re maining in the same place, with its orificeregistering with the cylinder ofiset, the water is always delivered intothe proper compartment and not between two or into two adjacentcarbid-receptacles at the same time,

Having thus fully explained and illustrated my invention, what I claimis-- In acetylene-gas generators, the combination of a series ofVertical removable carbidcompartments, separate containing-cylinderstherefor having an offset at one side, a removable liquid-distributingdish provided .MELVIN D. COMPTON.

Witnesses:

D. N. HURLBUT, A. STETsoN.

